“I never thought I’d say this, but good evening St. Catharines,” beamed Elton John after two songs to a sold out Meridian Centre Wednesday night.

The huge response from 6,000 people seemed to say “ditto.” Until this arena came along, it was a city of Elton John cover bands, and here was the real deal perched behind his piano in a glittering, purple Captain Fantastic jacket.

As far as surreal concert moments in St. Catharines goes, this one’s up there.

And after the shock wore off, this long-awaited show may have exceeded the hype as John, with fine voice and still fluid fingers, took fans through 50 years of some of the greatest rock/pop songs ever written. There were plenty of hits, there were a few surprises, and there were songs that many in the crowd have had a deep connection to since they were kids.

If John thought this was going to be a quiet little Canadian pit stop, the thunderous applause after most every song - as loud as the Meridian Centre has ever been - made his first and likely only appearance in Niagara a loud one.

From the start, kicking off with The Bitch is Back and Bennie and the Jets, John and his impeccably dressed band made sitting difficult. He rolled through plenty of classics early, along with his B-side concert staple Take Me To the Pilot. With a catalogue this deep, there were no lulls - even marginal ‘80s tunes like I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues and Sad Songs (Say So Much) are transformed live.

The two new songs from last year’s Wonderful Crazy Night album (Looking Up and A Good Heart) were both good enough to avoid the dreaded concession stand run, and even if Philadelphia Freedom sounded a bit disjointed - 40 years of playing it can do that - he followed with an impeccable Tiny Dancer that had the arena singing along like they were…almost famous.

Then came the night’s real stunner, with John and the band turning Levon, of all songs, into an extended 10-minute rock jam. It was a raucous showcase for John’s band, which includes longtime drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Your Song hit the expected sweet spot, with John briefly discussing his long partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin: “We’ve never been in the same room when we write a song,” he said, “which is probably why we’ve lasted 50 years.”

There was a rare treat from the vaults with Have Mercy on the Criminal and a rousing piano solo before Rocket Man, but one of the night’s emotional highlights came just as he launched into his defiant anthem I’m Still Standing as a woman up front held up a sign: “Chemo at 1 p.m. today, Elton John tonight. #ImStillStanding.”

Before the night was done, she would get a guitar pick, a drum stick, and John’s autograph.

The show just got louder as it neared the finish line, with a rollicking trio of Crocodile Rock, Your Sister Can’t Twist (But She Can Rock ’n Roll) and Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting to end things, followed by the inevitable Candle in the Wind for the encore.

All and all, it was a show absent of sap (no Lion King song, thank Simba), light on the ‘80s, and heavy on his classic period - which John knows people are paying hundreds of dollars to hear. For this unlikely visit to St. Catharines, it felt like the biggest kick they ever got.